Hiyashi Chuka

Ingredients

• 4 portions ramen noodles, about 120 g each
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 4 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 3 tbsp cold dashi or water
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp caster sugar, for the eggs
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 4 slices good cooked ham, about 100 g
• 1 cucumber
• 2 tomatoes
• 60 g beansprouts
• 2 tbsp beni shoga pickled red ginger
• 2 tsp karashi Japanese mustard

Before you cook

• Whisk the soy sauce, rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar, dashi, sesame oil and sesame seeds together until the sugar dissolves.
• Chill the dressing in the fridge.
• Beat the eggs with the teaspoon of sugar and a pinch of salt, then strain them through a sieve.
• Cut the cucumber into 5 cm lengths, slice those thinly lengthways, then stack and cut into matchsticks.
• Stack the ham slices, roll them up and slice into fine ribbons.
• Cut each tomato into eight wedges.
• Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice.

Steps

1. Heat a non-stick frying pan over low heat and wipe it with the vegetable oil.
2. Pour in a thin layer of beaten egg, tilting the pan to coat the base.
3. Cook the sheet for about 1 minute, until set and dry on top but not coloured, then slide it onto a board.
4. Repeat with the remaining egg to make three or four thin sheets.
5. Stack the egg sheets, roll them into a cigar and slice them into fine threads.
6. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and blanch the beansprouts for 30 seconds.
7. Scoop the beansprouts into the iced water, then drain and squeeze them.
8. Cook the noodles in the same boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, until just tender.
9. Drain the noodles and rinse them under cold running water, rubbing off the starch with your hands.
10. Chill the noodles in the iced water for 1 minute, then drain them very thoroughly.
11. Toss the noodles with 2 tablespoons of the dressing and spread them over four wide, shallow plates.
12. Arrange the ham, cucumber, egg threads, beansprouts and tomato in separate fans over the noodles.
13. Pour the remaining dressing over each plate just before serving.
14. Finish each plate with a small mound of beni shoga and a dab of karashi mustard on the rim.